Flash Photography, Explained
On-Camera vs. Off-Camera Flash
On-camera flash sits on the camera and lights from the lens axis. Off-camera flash is moved to the side or above on a stand or held by an assistant. They produce very different images.
On-camera: fast and flat
Everything the photographer needs is in one unit. The trade-off is flat, frontal light and hard shadows directly behind the subject. This is paparazzi and press-line work.
Off-camera: shaped and slow
Moving the light off-axis creates modelling — highlights and shadows that describe a face's shape. It takes setup and is the domain of portrait and editorial shoots.
Which one 'paparazzi' means
The genre is defined by on-camera flash. An off-camera-lit photo of a celebrity is a portrait, not a pap shot.
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